Ball and pin handling mechanism



Dec. 1, 1959 a. A. MONTOOTH BALL AND PIN HANDLING MECHANISM OriginalFiled Nov. 24, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. r eQ/VanZZoflp,

BY KM, Mfr-M G. A. MONTOOTH BALL AND PIN HANDLING MECHANISM OriginalFiled Nov. 24, 1954 Dec. 1, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Ge areCZ/Vonofi,

"IIWI/ Dec. 1, 1959 c;. A. MONTOOTH 2,915,313

BALL AND PIN HANDLING MECHANISM Original Filed Nov. 24, 1954 3Sheets-Sheet 3 JNVENTOR.

United States Patent BALL AND PIN HANDLING MECHANISM George A. Montooth,Lon Beach, Calif., assignor to The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, acorporation of Delaware Original application November 24, 1954, SerialNo. 471,012. Divided and this application February 12,

1957, Serial No. 639,698

13 Claims. (Cl. 273-43) This invention relates to a ball and pinhandling mechanism for use with an automatic pin setter in the pit of abowling alley.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a new and improvedball and pin handling mechanism.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a new andimproved ball and pin separating mechanism wherein balls and pins aredirected to a ball elevating mechanism which serves to elevate the ballfrom the floor of the alley pit, leaving the pins to pass rearwardly toa pin elevating mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ring-type rotating pinelevator disposed across the rear of a bowling alley pit having membersthereon for elevating pins to a discharge position and a ring-typerotating ball elevator extending across the alley pit immediately infront of the pin elevator for engaging a bowling ball and, in association with vertically arcuate tracks disposed within the periphery of theball elevator, elevating the ball to a discharge track, the ballelevator in effect filtering the ball away from the pins as the latterare moved to a position to be elevated by the pin elevator, the ballelevator also functioning to disperse grouped pins engaged thereby andto align the pins with their axes extending generally in the directionof pin travel afforded by the pin elevator.

A further object is to provide a new and improved pin handling mechanismincluding a pin elevator disposed in a bowling alley pit, and arotatable, vertically disposed ring-shaped element having a lowerportion in the path of pins moving toward the pin elevator so that pinsare directed thereacross in passage to the pin elevator to be dispersedby the rotating ring-shaped element.

The objects of the invention generally set forth, together with otherancillary advantages, are attained by the construction and arrangementshown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view in elevation of the ball and pin elevatingmechanism as mounted in a bowling alley;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view in elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig.1 with the ball elevating mechanism removed;

' Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view in elevation of the mechanismshown in Fig. 2 and particularly the mechanism for resetting thepin-engaging paddle members;

Fig. 4 is a vertical view in section of one of the pinengaging paddlemembers showing the latch mechanism for holding the paddle member in itsextended pinengaging position; and,

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic end view in elevation of the ball elevatingmechanism showing a ball engaged between the annular ball-elevatingmember and the spacedapart track members looking toward the mechanismfrom the left-hand end of Fig. 1.

, While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many differentforms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described indetail an illustrative embodiment of the invention with theunderstanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as anexemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intendedto limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The

scope of the invention will be pended claims.

My improved pin and ball elevating mechanism may be mounted at the rearof a pit having side walls one of which is indicated at 1 and a pitfloor formed of a plurality of moving belts 2, 3 and 4. Reference may behad to my Patent No. 2,729,449, granted January 3, 1956, for a completedisclosure as to the construction and drive for these belts. The belts 2and 4 are moved in a manner whereby their upper reaches move toward themiddle belt 3, the upper reach of which moves toward the rear of thepit. Thus, it will be seen that pins and a ball will be pointed out inthe apdirected to the rear of the pit at a point or positionapproximately mid-way between the sides thereof.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a vertically-disposed framework is formedfrom one set of connected channel members 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 which areinterconnected with another set of connected channel members 11, 12, 13,14, 15, and 16, the two sets of channel members being reenforced bycross members such as 17 and 18 and being interconnected by channelmembers 19, 20, 21 and 22. Rotatably mounted within the framework is aball elevating mechanism which is in the form of a rotatably mountedring-shaped or annular member 25 and a pair of cooperatingarcuately-shaped, spaced-apart track members 26 and 27 which arevertically disposed and spaced apart from the annular member 25 adistance slightly less than the diameter of a bowling ball A.

The annular member 25 is driven by a belt 30 disposed about the outerperiphery of the annular member and passing over a driving pulley 31.Guide rollers 32, 33, 34, and 35 mounted in the supporting frameworkfunction to guide the annular member 25 for rotation and also to guidebelt 30 on the periphery of the annular member. A Weighted roller 36 ismounted on pivotal arms, one of them being shown at 37 and functions tomaintain the belt 30 taut.

A ball trap mechanism is provided to insure that a ball will be properlyengaged by the track members 26 and 27 so as to ensure proper alignmentof the ball with the annular member 25. This mechanism takes the form ofpivotally mounting the lower end 38 of the track member 27 by means of abracket 39 secured to a support block 40 for the lower track end 38 anda hinge member 41 connected to a central frame member 42. It will thusbe seen that the lowermost position of the annular member 25 is adjacentthe conveyor 3 which constitutes a ball pickup position. As a ball ismoved onto the annular member 25, it will cause slight upward movementof the lower track end 38 to permit movement of the ball into engagementwith the lower end 26a of the track member 26. As this occurs, the lowerend 38 will lower slightly and the ball will be rolled up the trackmembers 26 and 27 by clockwise rotation of the annular member 25 asshown in Fig. 1. A plurality of wires indicated generally at 45 securedto brackets 46, 47, 48 and 49 form a side guide to prevent accidentalmovement of a ball rearwardly of the track member 26. The upper ends ofthe track members 26 and 27 terminate in wires 50, 51 and 52 which forma discharge track for receiving a ball and guiding it to a conventionalreturn track, not shown.

The track member 27 is disposed forwardly of the ball advancing member25 while the track member 26 Patented Dec. 1, 1959 is disposedrearwardly of the ball advancing member 25 so that contact of theannular member 25 with the ball A is at a point between the points madeby contacts of the ball with the track members 26 and 27, this beingshown diagrammatically in Fig. 5. Positive elevation of the ball isassured because the weight of the ball aids in holding the ball indriving engagement with the annular member 25 when the ball first entersthe elevator.

The pin elevating mechanism more clearly shown in. Fig. 2 is in the formof an annular member 60 disposed around the central frame member 42.Annular member 60 is rotated by a belt 61 (Fig. 3) disposed around aportion of the periphery of the annular member 60. The belt is driven bya driving pulley 62. The annular member 60 is guided by a plurality ofguide rollers 63, 64, 6S and 66 mounted in the framework. The guiderollers 64, 65 and 66 also function to guide the belt 61. As shown inthe lower left-hand corner of Fig. 2, the belt 61 leaves the peripheryof the annular member 60 at that point and travels over an idler pulley70.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, the annular member 60 is provided witha rim made up of rim parts 71 and 72. The rim 72 is of a slightlygreater diameter than rim 71 so that a pair of outer flanges 73 and 74on the guide roller 66 and also on guide rollers 63, 64 and 65 engagethe edges of rim 72 and guide the annular members 60 while a pair ofinner flanges 75 and 76 on these guide rollers ride on the rim 72 andengage the edges of the belt 61 to guide the belt.

The rim 71 is recessed at peripherally-spaced points as is theassociated adjacent area of the body of the annular member 60 to receivepin engaging paddles or paddle members 77.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the paddle members 77, all of which areidentical, are pivo-tally mounted on brackets 80 secured to the innerside of the rim portion 72. Inasmuch as each of the paddle members areidentical, only one will be described in detail.

Each bracket 80 has ears 81 and 82 between which a. pin 83 extends uponwhich the paddle member 77 is pivotally mounted. A spring 84 connectedbetween the bracket 80 and the paddle member 77 urges the paddle memberto a position wherein it extends radially of the annular member 60 for apurpose hereinafter more fully set forth. The paddle member 77 is heldin a position wherein it extends parallel to the axis of the annularmember 60 and against the action of the spring 84 by an L-shaped latchmember 85 which has an end 36 in engagement with a notch 87 in the innerend of the paddle member 77. The latch member 85 is pivotally mounted ona bracket 88 and is urged into latching position by a spring 89connected between the latch member and the mounting bracket 80.

As pins are directed to the rear of the pit by the pit fioor belt 3,they engage the ball elevating member 25 which tends to disperse groupedpins and align the pins with their axes extending in the direction ofpin travel. The pins pass beyond the ball-advancing annular member 25and into a pin guiding channel formed by a plurality of wires 90, 91, 92and 93 which are mounted on a plurality of brackets 94, 95, 96, 97, 98and 99. The wires form the curved pin guiding channel having a lowermostposition adjacent the pit floor slightly below the lowermost position ofthe ball elevating member 25. The channel extends upwardly from thisposition and terminates at a position approximately level with the axisof the annular member 60 where the pins are discharged one by one into apair of vertically-disposed belts 100 and 101 (Fig. 1) which pass arounda pair of lower pulleys 102 and 103, respectively. The belt 101 extendsvertically and passes around a driving roller 104 while the belt 100passes around a pulley 105 and changes from a vertical to a horizontaldirection, the left hand end of the belt 100 passing around a drivingpulley 106. Thus, a pin entering in the pin guiding channel formed bythe wires -93 will be moved along the channel by a pin engaging paddle77 until the pin passes between the belts and 101. The pin will then beelevated by the belts and directed out onto the horizontal stretch ofbelt 100. it is necessary to prevent interference between a paddlemember 77 and the belt 100 as the paddle member is carried up betweenthe belts 100 and 103 so that a trip block 117 (Fig. 4) is mounted onthe framework adjacent the lower end of the belts 100 and 101 fortripping the latch member "65 to permit the paddle member 77 to move toits radial position as shown in Fig. 3. The trip block 117 is carried bya stationary portion of the framework and is positioned so as to permitthe paddle members 77 to effectively position succeeding pins betweenthe belts 100 and 101, and to trip the latches 85 so that the paddlemembers move past the belts without conflict therewith. As the annularmember 60 continues to rotate, the radially-extended paddle member 77will contact the bent cocking wire and be reset in its normal pinengaging position, as shown in Fig. 3. A

Although the specific mechanism forms no part of this invention, thedrive belts for the annular member 25 and 60 as well as the pin engagingbelts may be driven by a motor 111 which through belts 112 drives apulley 113 which has a sprocket 114 connected therewith. The sprocketdrives the driving pulley 31 for the belt 30 which drives the ballelevating member 25. A sprocket 115 on the same shaft as the drivingpulley 31 drives a sprocket 116 by means of a chain 118 for driving thedrive pulley 104 for the pin engaging belt 101. The drive pulley 113 hasa shaft 120 which may be interconnected by mechanism not shown to ashaft 121 upon which the driving pulley 106 for the belt 100 is mounted.The end of the shaft 121 has a chain and sprocket drive 122 leading to asprocket 123 (Fig. 3) which drives the pulley 62 for the belt 61 whichdrives the annular pin advancing member 60.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.471,012, filed November 24, 1954.

I claim:

1. A ball and pin elevating apparatus for use with an automaticpinsetter mounted on a bowling alley comprising, in combination, avertically-disposed framework mounted across the rear of the alley pitand extending for the width thereof, a rotary pin elevating membermounted at the rear of said framework, means mounting said pin elevatingmember for rotation in one direction to elevate pins from a positionadjacent the floor of the alley pit to an elevated discharge position,an arcuate pin-guiding channel disposed adjacent the lower half of thepin elevating member for supporting pins as they are advanced by the pinelevating member and having its lowermost portion adjacent the pitfloor, pin engaging paddles peripherally spaced about the pin elevatingmember to engage and move pins successively along the pin guidingchannel as the pin elevating member is rotated, power-driven belt meansengaging the periphery of the pin elevating member for impartingrotation thereto, a ring-shaped ball elevating member mounted in saidframework and disposed forwardly of the pin guiding channel and havingits lowest portion positioned slightly above the lowermost portion ofthe pin guiding channel so that on rotation the ball elevating membertends to disperse grouped pins engaged thereby and align the pins withtheir axes extending in the direction of pin travel, a pair ofvertically disposed ball guiding track members having lower, generallyhorizontal ends mounted within the periphery of the ball elevatingmember for receiving and guiding a ball to an elevated dischargeposition, said track members being spaced from the ball elevating membera distance slightly less than the diameter of a bowling ball, one ofsaid track members being disposed forwardly of the ball elevating memberand the other being disposed rearwardly thereof, the forward-.

1y disposed track-member havingiits lower horizontal end pivotallymounted for raising movement so that a ball engaging said track membermay cause slight raising thereof to permit entry of the ball between thetrack members, means including a belt engaging the periphery of the ballelevating member for rotating said ball elevating member in a directionopposite to that of the pin elevating member, and guide rollers on theframework engaging the ball elevating member and belt to rotatably guidethe belt and ball elevating member.

2. A ball and pin elevating apparatus for a bowling alley having a pitand movable pit floor comprising, in combination, a vertically-disposedframework mounted across the rear of thealley pit, a rotary pinelevating member mounted at the rear of said framework and extending forsubstantially the entire width of the pit, means mounting .aid pinelevating member for rotation in one direction to elevate pins from aposition adjacent the floor of the alley pit to an elevated dischargepositicn, an arcuate pin-guiding channeldisposed adjacent the lower halfof the pin elevating member for receiving pins from the movable pitfloor and supporting pins as they are successively advanced by the pinelevating member, means peripherally spaced about the pin elevatingmember and overlying the pin guiding channel whereby to engage and movea pin along the pin guiding channel as the pin elevating member isrotated, means for rotating and guiding the pin elevating member, anannular ball elevating member mounted in said framework and dispcsedforwardly of the pin guiding channel, said ball elevating member havingits lowest portion positioned slightly above the lowermost portion ofthe pin guiding channel, a pair of vertically disposed ball guidingtrack members having generally horizontal lower ends mounted within theperiphery of the ball elevating member for receiving and guiding a ballfrom its position adjacent the pit fioor tv an elevated discharge track,said track members being spaced from the ball elevating mem ber adistance slightly less than the diameter of a bowling ball, one of saidtrack members being disposed forwardly of the ball elevating member andthe other being disposed rearwardly thereof, the forwardly disposedtrack member having its lower horizontal end pivotally mounted forraising movement so that a ball engaging said track member may causeslight raising thereof to permit entry of the ball between the trackmembers and onto the ball elevating member, means including a beltengaging the periphery of the ball elevating member for rotatingsaidball elevating member in a direction opposite to that of the pinelevating member, and guide rollers on the framework engaging the ballelevating member andbelt to rotatably guide the belt and ball elevatingmember.

3. A ball and pin elevating apparatus for a bowling alley having a pitand movable pit floor comprising, in combination, a vertically-disposedframework mounted across the rear of the alley pit, a rotary pinelevating member mounted at the rear of said framework and ex tendingfor substantially the entire width of the pit, means mounting said pinelevating member for rotation to elevate pins from a position adjacentthe floor of the alley pit to an elevated discharge position, an arcuatepin-guiding channel disposed adjacent the lower half of the pinelevating member for receiving pins from the movable pit floor andsupporting pins as they are successively advanced by the pin elevatingmember, means peripherally spaced about the pin elevating member andoverlying the pin guiding channel whereby to engage and move a pin alongthe pin guiding channel as the pin elevating member is rotated, meansfor rotating and guiding the pin elevating member, an annular ballelevating member mounted in said framework and disposed forwardly of thepin guiding hannel, said ball elevating member haviug its lowest portionpositioned slightly above the lowermost portion of the pin guidingchannel, means includinga pair of'vertically disposed 'ball guidingtrack members having generally horizontal lower ends mounted within theperiphery of the ball elevating member for receiving and guiding a ballfrom its position adjacent the pit floorto an elevated discharge trackincluding one track member disposed forwardly of the ball elevatingmember and another disposed rearwardly thereof, means including a'beltengaging the periphery of the ball elevating member for rotating saidball elevating member relative to the pin elevating member, and guiderollers on the framework engaging the ball elevating member and belt torotatably guide the belt and ball elevating member.

4. A ball and pin elevating mechanism for use with an automaticpinsetter associated with a bowling alley having a pit provided with amovable pit floor, comprising, incombination, a curved pin guidingchannel extending across the rear of the alley pit and having a lowerportion approximately mid-way between the sides of the pit, meansmounted for rotation in a circular path including pin engaging membersfor advancing pins along the pin guiding channel, ball elevatingmechanism disposed forwardly of said pin guiding channel and comprisinga vertically-disposed annular member mounted for rotation relative tothe rotary pin advancing means and having its lowermost portionapproximately mid-way between the sides of the pin and at a leveladjacent the lower portion of the pin guiding channel so that pins moveonto the annular ball elevating member in passage to the pin guidingchannel, vertically-arcuate track means disposed Within the periphery ofthe annular member for guiding a bowling ball to an elevated dischargeposition as the ball is rotated by the annular member and havinggenerally horizontal lower ends positioned above the lowermost portionof the annular member for initially guiding a ball as it enters upon thelowermost portion of the annular member from the movable pit floor.

5. For use with a bowling alley having means in the alley pit fordirecting pins rearwardly toward a pickup position, in combination, pinelevating means including a pin elevating member extending transverselyof the alleypit and movable through a path having a lower portionadjacent the pickup position and an upper portion adjacent an elevateddischarge position for elevating pins singly from the pickup position tothe discharge position, a generally vertically disposed, ring-shapedelement extending transversely of the pit and having a lower portionadjacent the pickup positionand disposed forwardly thereof so that pinsare directed thereonto and thereacross in passage rearwardly to thepickup position, and means for supporting and rotating the ring-shapedelement relative to the pin elevating member to disperse grouped pinsengaged thereby and to align the pins with their axes extendinggenerally in the direction of pin travel afforded by said pin elevatingmeans.

6." For use with a bowling alley having means in the alley pit fordirecting pins rearwardly toward a pickup position, in combination, acurved pin guiding channel extending transversely of the alley pit andhaving a lower portion adjacent the pickup position and an upper portionadjacent a discharge position, means mounted for movement along a curvedpath adjacent the pin guiding channel for engaging and advancing pinssingly along the pin guiding channel from the pickup position to thedischarge position, a vertically disposed, ring-shaped element extendingtransversely of the pit and having a lower portion adjacent the pickupposition and disposed forwardly thereof so that pins are directedthereonto and thereacross in passage rearwardly to the pickup position,means for supporting and rotating the ring-shaped element rela: tive tothe pin advancing means to disperse grouped pins engaged thereby and toalign the pins with their axes extending generally in the direction ofpin travel afforded by said pin guiding channel and said pin advancingmeans.

7. For use with a bowling alley having means in the alley pit fordirecting balls and pins centrally and rearwardly to a ball pickupposition, a ball and pin separating mechanism comprising, incombination, a vertically disposed ring-shaped ball elevating memberextending transversely of the pit and having its lower extremity beneaththe ball pickup position so that pins and balls are directed thereonto,means for supporting and rotating the ball elevating member, and meansdisposed within the periphery of the ball elevating member and spacedtherefrom to prevent passage of the ball rearwardly and for guiding andholding a bowling ball against the inner surface of the ball elevatingmember to be rolled up the guide means by the elevating member from theball pickup position to an elevated ball discharge position so that theball is thereby separated from the pins, the spacing of said guide meansfrom said ball elevating member being sufficient to permit passage ofthe pins rearwardly onto and across the ball elevating member, and theinner surface of said ring functioning to disperse grouped pins engagedthereby, and pin handling mechanism positioned rearwardly of the ballelevating mechanism for receiving pins at a pin pickup positionimmediately to the rear of the ball pickup position.

8. In a ball and pin separating and elevating apparatus for a bowlingalley having means in the alley pit for directing balls and pinsrearwardly to a ball pickup position and a pin pickup position, incombination, pin elevating means for elevating pins singly from the pinpickup position to an elevated pin discharge position, a ball elevatingmember disposed forwardly of the pin elevating means and having anexposed continuous surface movable through a concave curved pathextending transversely of the alley pit and having a lower portionbeneath the ball pickup position adjacent the lower portion of the pinelevating means so that balls and pins are directed thereonto and anupper portion adjacent an elevated ball discharge position, and meansconvexly curved and spaced from said ball elevating member for guidingand holding a bowling ball against the concave surface of the ballelevating member to be rolled up the guide means by the elevating memberfrom the ball pickup position to the ball discharge position, thespacing of said ball guide means from said ball elevating memberpermitting passage of pins rearwardly onto and across said concavesurface to the pin elevating means, and said ball elevating memberserving to disperse grouped pins engaged thereby.

9. In a ball and pin separating and elevating apparatus for a bowlingalley having means in the alley pit for moving balls and pins rearwardlytoward a ball pickup position and a pin pickup position, in combination,a curved pin guiding channel extending transversely of the alley pit andhaving a lower portion adjacent the pin pickup position and an upperportion adjacent a pin discharge position, means mounted for movementalong a curved path adjacent the pin guiding channel for engaging andadvancing pins singly along the pin guiding channel from the pin pickupposition to the pin discharge position, a ball elevating member disposedforwardly of the pin guiding channel and having an exposed radiallyinner surface movable continuously through an arcuate path extendingtransversely of the alley pit and having a lower portion at the ballpickup position adjacent the lower portion of the pin guiding channel sothat balls and pins are moved thereonto and an upper portion adjacent aball discharge position, and ball track means spaced from said ballelevating member for guiding and holding a bowling ball against theradially inner surface of the ball elevating member to be rolled up thetrack means by the elevating member from the ball pickup position to thebail discharge position, the spacing of said ball track means from saidball elevating member permitting passage of pins rearwardly to the pinguiding channel, and said bail elevating member serving to dispersegrouped pins engaged thereby and to align the pins with their axesextending generally in the direction of pin travel.

10. In a ball and pin separating apparatus for a bowling alley having analley pit, in combination, a rotatable, vertically disposed, annularball elevating member mounted in the-alley pit and having a lowerportion adjacent a ball pickup position, ball guide means positionedadjacent'the ball elevating member for guiding and holding a ball to berolled up the guide means by the ball elevating member from the ballpickup position to an elevated discharge position, means in the alleypit for directing balls into the ball pickup position between the ballelevating member and the ball guide means and for directing pins ontoand across the inner periphery of the ball elevating member, and pinconveying means disposed after the ball elevating member in the pathofthe pins for delivering pins from a pin pickup position to a pindischarge position.

11. In a ball and pin separating and elevating apparatus for a bowlingalley having means in the alley pit for directing balls and pinsrearwardly toward a ball pickup position and a pin pickup position, incombination, pin elevating means including a rotatable, generallyvertically disposed, pin elevating member extending trans versely of thealley pit for elevating pins singly from the pin pickup position to anelevatedrpin discharge position, a rotatable, generally verticallydisposed, ring-shaped ball elevating member extending transversely ofthe pit and having a lower portion at the ball pickup position anddisposed forwardly of the pin pickup position so that balls and pins aredirected onto the ball elevating member, ball guide means disposedwithin the periphery of the bail elevating member for guiding andholding a ball to be rolled up the guide means by the ball elevatingmember from the ball pickup position to an elevated ball dischargeposition, the arrangement of said guide means relative to the ballelevating member permitting entry of a ball therebetween for elevation,preventing passage of the ball rearwardly of the ball elevating member,and permitting passage of the pins rearwardly to the pin elevatingmeans, said ball elevating member being effective to disperse groupedpins engaged thereby.

12. In a ball and pin separating and elevating apparatus for a bowlingalleyhaving means in the alley pit for directing balls and pinsrearwardly toward a ball pickup position and a pin pickup position, incombination, a curved pin guiding channel extending transversely of thealley pit and having a lower portion adjacent the pin pickup positionand an upper portion adjacent an elevated pin discharge position, arotatable pin elevating member disposed rearwardly of the pin guidingchannel and extending transversely of the alley pit for moving pinsalong the pin guiding channel, means for rotating the pin elevatingmember in one direction, an annular rotatable ball elevating memberdisposed forwardly of the pin guiding channel and extending transverselyof the alley pit, said ball elevating member having a lower portion atthe ball pickup position and adjacent the pin pickup position so thatballs and pins are directed thereonto, means for rotating the ballelevating member in a direc-. tion opposite the rotation of the pinelevating member, ball guide means disposed within the periphery of theball elevating member for trapping and guiding a ball to be rolled upthe guide means by the ball elevatingmemher to an elevated dischargeposition, said ball guide means being spaced from the ball elevatingmember to permit passage of pins rearwardly to the pin guiding channel.1

13. For use with a bowling alley having means in the alley pit fordirecting pins rearwardly toward a pickup position, in combination, pinconveying means movable transversely in the alley pit for conveying pinsfrom the pickup position to a discharge position, a transverselydisposed pin dispersing element in the alley pit having a portionincluding an upwardly facing surface positioned forwardlyof the pickupposition and disposed in References Cited in the file of this patentUNITED STATES PATENTS Hedenskoog July 11, 1916 Hedenskoog Sept. 24, 1935Davis Feb. 9, 1943 Rundell Nov. 13, 1951

